STI Dice Game

Interactive experiences in the #HealthEd classroom are always a hit, and this Sexually Transmitted Infections Dice Game from Andy Horne is no exception.

This post originally appeared four years ago on another blog that Andy and I ran and it continues to be extremely popular, and so it’s time to dust off the dice and re-post it here on #slowchathealth.

This activity is originally from National Teacher Hall of Famer Deb Tackmann and has been modified somewhat. Students will increase awareness of risk taking through a simulation activity, which demonstrates how easy it is to cause pregnancy or acquire an STI if one chooses to be sexually active and not use reliable forms of contraception. It reinforces the abstinence message and gets students to think about the positive and negative effects that peer pressure can have on decision making.

You will need the following materials:

Approx 20-30 dice (or one for each student, you can always share)

One small plastic cup/die to serve as a dice holder

A piece of scratch paper and pencil for students to record scores

Candy or prizes (for the peer pressure part)

Approx 20 envelopes, slips of paper labeled with the STDs you want to cover (feel free to have multiples for STIs that are more prevalent – i.e. HPV, Herpes, etc. – these slips of paper will be individually stuffed inside each envelope and will be passed out to students as their “STD diagnosis.”

The Dice Game in Action

Each student gets a plastic cup with one die inside. They roll the die six times and record the number on the die in the order they rolled it. After six rolls, put die in cup and set aside.

Go over the decision-making model using the decision to or not to have sex. Get student input on the consequences of abstinence, protected sex and unprotected sex.

At this point remind/review classroom expectations. Explain that for this simulation, every time they rolled the die they were having unprotected vaginal sex. When one has unprotected sex they have about a 1 in 6 chance of causing pregnancy.

Ask whoever rolled a 6 to stand up. These students caused a pregnancy according to our risk odds. Then have those standing who rolled more than one six to hold up their hand. Ask for comments from those who caused a pregnancy.

Ask the 6s to sit down and ask those who rolled a 5 to stand up. Every time someone has unprotected sex their chance of contracting a STI increases. These students have just contracted a STI. It may be one we can cure or it may be one that we have no cure for.

More than one 5? Yes, you can get more than one STI from just one sex experience.

At this point I will give students an envelope containing their “diagnosis” and we will discuss each STI along with potential symptoms.

Students who did not roll a 5 or 6 on the first 6 tries should stand now. Ask them if they would take a chance and roll again. If someone does, let them try one roll. If they still do not get a 5 or 6, I will offer them candy/prize to roll again. If the student continues to take the risk, continue until they roll a 5 or 6. Ultimately the student will lose.

Often times the class pressures the student to take the risk and keep rolling.

Discuss the outcomes and the “peer pressure.” The other students had nothing to lose. The student who had not rolled a 5 or 6 had much to lose. Did they care? If it continues, the student will eventually lose. Reliable methods of birth control and STI protection are the next safest method next to abstinence. But even those are not 100%. Only abstinence will offer sure odds that you will not cause a pregnancy or contract a STI.

Closure: Ask the following questions to make sure students have a good understanding of this activity and the major points.

It’s important to think about the consequences of having unprotected sex. It’s more than just a “yes” or “no” answer. Think about the Decision Making Model.

Beyond just the risk of pregnancy or contracting a STI, can you think of some emotional consequences that could come with being sexually active?

Like this blog post, it’s an oldie but a goodie. It would be remiss of me to share this post without adding one of Andy Horne’s earliest Scholarly Raps. Our language has changed (from STD to STI) but the message remains the same.

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3 thoughts on “STI Dice Game”

Patricia Zemke

I use Deb Tackmann’s game in the 6th grade with a twist. It works as an assessment with the reflection piece.
Dicey Dating
How To:
Give each student one dice, ask them to roll the dice 6 times and record what they shook.
*If they had any matches they should circle the match such as: 1,3,5,4,6,4 four would be the match. They may have had two numbers that matched or none at all. Those matched number(s) represents what occurred on that date. The match of four would mean that they lost their social life (see below).

1- Reputation of “too much too soon.”
2- Abstinence
3- STI (one in three people who are sexually
active have or have had an STI)
4- Loss of social life (gave up friends and family for
love)
5- Good family relationship and involvement
6- Pregnancy

If they got two numbers such as a 6 and a 5 that matched, that means that even with family support if a sexual activity occurs…

If a student did not have any matches you can explain that they are enjoying a relaxing dating experience. Ask if they will go on one more date by rolling the dice. Watch other students who pressure to roll again or see if any students pressure them to not roll the dice again. Did the student answer yes right away? Discuss this. Ask: Do teens continue to take risks until something bad happens? If a teen chooses to be sexually active do the chances of something negative happening go up?

“Dicey Dating” Summative Assessment
Name________________
Please answer the following questions with COMPLETE SENTENCES that are well thought out to
earn an A grade!

1.What situation(s) occurred with the number you rolled?

2. How did you feel about the situation? (1 pt.)

3. How would it affect your: (4 pts.)
future goals?

Reputation?

Relationships?

Would the rest of your family be affected?

Remember, you have the choice to make your dating life what you want it to be! Decide now and follow your values!

In reality, when you begin dating, what do you see as being the best scenario for you- not the answer you think I want, what do you want? Please use complete sentences. 5 points
Age:
Type of relationship: